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Five cylinders, no waiting | 2018 Audi TT RS First Drive

A five-cylinder engine is an odd duck in the modern automotive world, so why put it under the hood of a sophisticated sports car like the 2018 Audi TT RS? We're posing this question to an engineer when a loud, guttural sound interrupts the conversation. A TT RS blasts by, growling and percolating as it shoots down the front straight of the historic Circuito del Jarama in Spain. Oh, that's why. The RS treatment brings the sound and the fury to the TT, transforming a cute, sporty little car into a sports car with mettle. With 400 horsepower channeled to all four wheels, a stiffer suspension, and styling flourishes like organic LED taillights, the RS makes for a big-time upgrade over the 292-hp TT S and the mild-mannered 220-hp TT. Who wants a four-cylinder, anyway? We're considering the five-pot's potential as we mash the throttle and explode onto Jarama, an old Formula 1 course that still looks ready to host top-level racing. There's a couple of long straights and lots of curves and elevation changes. Sure, it's a bit trite to praise a sports car after a few laps in a controlled setting, but the TT RS has legit performance chops. The engine sounds just as good inside the car as it does to spectators, and it's more satisfying since we're the ones provoking the five cylinders to anger as we approach triple-digit speed. It's all real, too. There's no pumped-in sound or fake flatulent exhaust. "It's the unadulterated sound of the engine – we didn't change it," says Philipp Ade, Audi technical project manager for powertrain. Speaking trackside through an interpreter, he admits the exhaust system adds resonance but also filters out other noises to produce a clean engine note. Trust us, you'll want to tune in. The five-cylinder is not a glorified sound check. It's a new engine developed for Audi's smaller performance cars, though the TT RS is the only one confirmed for the United States. The 2.5-liter mill uses aluminum for its block and crankcase and magnesium for the oil sump. This all results in a 57-pound weight loss compared with the old five-cylinder, which was last sold in the US market in the previous-generation TT RS for the 2012-13 model years. That car was brought to the states after a Facebook campaign. This time there was no doubt Americans have an appetite for the hottest TT. A non-enthusiast will wonder: why the fuss over a five-cylinder engine? To Audi and its band of loyal followers, it's a defining element of performance.

Feds allege widespread Volkswagen cheating on clean-air rules

Volkswagen intentionally installed software in nearly a half-million diesel vehicles that helped the cars evade substandard results on emissions tests, the federal government charged Friday. The Environmental Protection Agency issued a notice of violation to the German automaker, saying the company's software broke the law by violating two provisions in the Clean Air Act. Circumventing the standards meant affected cars emitted as much as 40 times the allowable level of certain pollutants. Both the EPA and California Air Resources Board have launched investigations. In its notice of violations, the EPA said Volkswagen officials admitted to installing and concealing what they call a "defeat device," which was designed to detect when the cars were undergoing official emissions tests – and only turn on emissions controls during that time. "Our goal now is to ensure that the affected cars are brought into compliance, to dig more deeply into the extent and implications of Volkswagen's efforts to cheat on clean air rules, and to take appropriate further action," said Richard Corey, executive officer of CARB. The allegations cover approximately 482,000 vehicles sold in the United States over the past seven years. Cars involved include diesel versions of the Jetta, Beetle, Audi A3 and Golf manufactured between the 2009 and 2015 model years. Passats manufactured for the 2014 and 2015 model years are also included. Federal officials note there is no safety danger to motorists, but the cars will be recalled for repairs. If true, Volkswagen faces a fine that could run in the hundreds of millions of dollars -- likely higher than the $300 million charge the EPA levied last November at Hyundai and Kia for exaggerating the fuel-economy in several models. The charges also put a tremendous dent into the company's plans to increase sales of its "Clean Diesel" vehicles in North America. In a written statement, Volkswagen Group of America acknowledged it had received the notices from the EPA and CARB. "VW is cooperating with the investigation; we are unable to comment further at this time," it said. Federal officials said the defeat-device software was uncovered during an independent analysis by researchers at West Virginia University, who in working with the International Council on Clean Transportation, a non-governmental organization, raised questions about emissions levels.

Audi RS6 driven by former Stig Ben Collins egged on in 'The Duel'

Apparently driving a 553-horsepower Audi RS6 Avant with carbon-fiber egg launchers that shoot paint-filled eggs is what Stigs do when they retire from Top Gear. And unfortunately for stuntman Damien Walters, he happens to be the target.
Walters - on foot with his paint-eggs and no carbon-fiber launcher - couldn't possibly escape from the Audi, let alone launch his own offensive, could he? You'll have to find out in the video below. And while we won't give away what happens, we'll say this video will definitely put a smile on your face, if you like all-wheel-drive drifting (which you should). We also included a couple more videos for your enjoyment, one of which takes you behind the scenes of The Duel.